League of gentlemen

Advertising is becoming the norm for speciality beers as they step into the limelight. Jo Grobel looks at the role of mass marketing in niche territory

As recently as three years ago, linking the concept of advertising with speciality beers would have been a no-no. The idea of mass-marketing was the opposite of what suppliers wanted in a category built on self-discovery.

But when Leffe first launched its ongoing press campaign two years ago, other suppliers realised it could work if handled carefully. Typically, the adverts target men and have deliberately not attempted to attract drinkers en masse. InBev has successfully maintained a degree of élitism for the brand.

Similarly, Bitburger's 2005 campaign aimed to exclude drinkers by aligning it with international icons such as London's Portobello Road. The strapline: "Bit. Not everyone will get it", referred to the fact that only small bits of the icon were shown and that not everyone would recognise them.

Enjoying the Continental way

Amstel's latest ad campaign was unveiled last month to support the launch of Amstel in bottles. The beer has been available on draught in the UK since 2002, and in bottles since October.

The poster ads feature people in Amsterdam drinking Amstel as part of this year's second burst of advertising for the brand. Dutch words such as "Slokje", meaning "little sip", are accompanied by English taglines such as "We race with our legs, not our beers", encouraging customers to enjoy the beer in a Continental way.

Posters can be seen in cities with a strong Amstel presence such as London, Liverpool and Newcastle, and will also appear within 500 metres of outlets now selling Amstel.

Amstel brand manager Toby Shaw says: "This second advertising campaign encourages people to enjoy Amstel the Continental way and we anticipate brand growth."

Four months after launching Peeterman

Artois into the UK, InBev has just brought out its first national ad campaign for the brand, focusing on the beer's low abv of 4%. The wheat beer ad's strapline tells consumers that it is "a different strength from Artois".

Four illustrations of the word Artois, each with its letters arranged to spell out 4%, run alongside an image of a branded chalice glass of Peeterman. In a similar way to other speciality and imported beer ads, it focuses on unusual elements which appeal to non-mainstream beer drinkers.

Brasserie Artois marketing manager Jon Sampson says: "The campaign plays on its 4% abv because Peeterman Artois appeals to consumers who don't enjoy standard lagers and are looking for an easy-drinking beer."

Seven thousand poster sites

Posters will appear on 7,000 sites countrywide in cities such as London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Brighton.

While press and poster campaigns have become more common, one of the sector's biggest developments has been suppliers' willingness to put their brands on TV.

Last year TV advertising was seen by many suppliers as taking one step too far, but in the last 12 months Brahma and San Miguel have had their first taste of TV exposure.

And it hasn't all been from big brewers: Dutch premium lager brewer Bavaria has just launched its first TV ad, with six-month sponsorship of Sky Movies' high-octane Sky Movies strand "Tough at Ten". Each 15-second "Real Men" ad shows a different character choosing to ditch a modern-day male task, such as visiting a hair salon or doing the weekly shopping, in favour of enjoying a Bavaria with friends.